The banana plant is a herbaceous, flowering plant indigenous to the tropical regions of India, northern Australia, and Southeast Asia. Its fruits, which are recognized by their crescent shape, yellow skins and sweet tastes, are one of the oldest crops cultivated by mankind and remain the most popular fruit consumed in the United States. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture claims that Americans eat more than 10 pounds of bananas per person every…
The watermelon is one of the West’s most popular summer fruits. In fact, over four billion pounds of these large, round melons – which originated in Africa – are produced every year in the United States alone. Since watermelons are comprised of approximately 92 percent water, many people assume that they aren’t as nutritious as heavier, more substantial fruits such as apples, bananas, and pears. While it is true that watermelons do contain fewer essential…
Blueberries are sweet, edible dark-blue berries of either high-growing or low-growing bushes. Blueberry bushes usually bear fruit at the height of the growing season, although their fruiting times are affected by external factors such as latitude and altitude, meaning that the bushes can fruit from as early as May, or as late as August. Most of the blueberries sold for human consumption today are sourced from eastern or northern North America (especially Maine, which produces…
